Happy Union Day, the fifth anniversary of Scotland’s vote to remain in the United Kingdom. It’s gotten so commercial, though at least voting No to independence means the Scots still have a currency to buy their celebratory Union Jack bunting in. Only there’s not much in the way of celebrations today. In 2014, the Better Together campaign made a big deal of an independent Scotland starting life outside the EU. Unionists don’t bring that up anymore.
Opponents of nationalism have lost their figurehead in Ruth Davidson and as well as Brexit they have been lumped with Boris Johnson, a man who polls in Scotland like veganism in Alabama. The SNP, 12 years in government and making a hash of health and education, is enjoying poll leads that a North Korean election monitor would raise an eyebrow at. Scottish Labour has gone hokey kokey on the Union, unsure whether it wants to be in or out, and a snap General Election could reduce non-nationalist parties to a rump.
That the orderly anarchy of Brexit hasn’t made the Scots see the dangers of Scexit is cause for much brow-furrowing among Unionists.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in